Culminating Thoughts
When I started the College Counseling and Student Development program at Azusa Pacific University, I had a shallow and narrow understanding of the student affairs profession. I knew of a few of the fields such as student activities and career services, the ones I had engaged in as an undergraduate student, but I had no idea about the plethora of possible positions out there. When I entered the program I had interests in becoming a career counselor, a resident director, or a student organization advisor. (I probably had these ambitions because those were the student affairs professionals who mentored me specifically.) Throughout the CCSD program, I have become open to the idea of working within other areas. Before the program, I did not know one could work in multicultural services, student retention, the women’s resource center, or plenty of other places. I soon realized that one could find their niche and one could establish a particular group of students with whom they wanted to work with. This niche can be flexible too, as one can shift from area to area throughout their career. The main concept I realized is that there is and should be purpose behind the group of students one chooses to work. A field should not be chosen because it looks fun or because one knows a little bit about it, a field should be chosen because one hears a calling to meet college student needs in a particular area (Palmer, 2000).
I also used to think that each specific field in student affairs operated independently, that they did not rely or even interact with another. Residence life sticks to residence life, the career center stays inside their offices, and no one meets with one another or helps each other out with student programming. I soon learned about the need, benefit, and blessing of collaboration amongst student affairs professionals. Learning about this kind of collaboration with professional peers brought me relief as it took the pressure off of me to try to fulfill a desire to serve all students at all times in all areas of their lives. With this concept, I also learned about teaming up with faculty, administration, and families. The idea of involving faculty was a relatively new concept to me. I had seen them at student programs here and there. When the phrase “co-curricular” entered my vocabulary I began to realize that student affairs professionals and faculty could create reciprocal relationships, each supporting the other’s mission and goals in order to facilitate student learning (Kuh, 1996). Also, before this program I had no clue what the administration at a college did. Now I realize how much of an advocate they can be for my office. I also thought that when a student attended college they cut off ties with the outside world. I never thought to consider their family at home. There are various parties involved in higher education, making sure everyone has a chance for input is crucial to the development of the student. On top of all of this I came to realize that colleges and universities are not entities that operate within their own bubble, but they too seek to share knowledge and wisdom with one another. Through conferences, phone calls, visits, e-mails, and web pages, I have realized how vast and supportive the network and community is among those working in higher education. The student affairs community can be seen as selfless, seeking to serve college students through the best means possible.
Another realization I had was my growing concept of studies within the field. I had no idea before the program that there were professional organizations, books, research, theories, articles, and even doctoral programs for student affairs. I was unaware of how established the field was. I was completely ignorant of the fact that I was stepping into a profession that had been there long before I arrived. I had associated my “discovery” of the field with the idea that the entire field was new. When I entered the program I saw my two years at APU as preparing me for a job in a new field that consisted of a fulfilling eight hours and a decent paycheck. My time (and financial investment) has done more than just that; it has prepared me to enter into an established profession and a vocation (Palmer, 2000).
When considering ideas, theories, and perspectives in student affairs, three areas have influenced my view of college student learning and development. They can be summed up as white identity, social justice, and hearing one’s calling. First, while I understand that there exists a wide diversity of college student identities out there, I believe a prevalent one, that I wish to focus some of my work on, is white identity development. Since most college settings are predominantly white, understanding and investing in white students’ ethnic and racial identities can be beneficial to all, especially in addressing privilege, oppression, and racism. The work of McIntosh (1988) influences the way I understand white college students and coming to terms with how much privilege they carry on campus. Secondly the work of Hardiman (2001) influences my understanding of white identity with his model that includes these five stages: no social consciousness of race or naïveté about race, acceptance, resistance, redefinition, and internalization. I now possess information to help me facilitate opportunities and guide white students through these stages. Lastly the work of Ortiz & Rhoads (2000) also influences my understanding of and work with white students through challenging and supporting them to: understand culture, learn about other cultures, recognize and deconstruct white culture, recognize the legitimacy of other cultures, and develop a multicultural outlook. Before reading their work I did not have the words to voice where I wanted to lead white students. Now I do.
Another area that I believe to be salient in student affairs today is social justice. This relates to white identity development in that social justice work involves encouraging the majority to advocate for the minority across a wide spectrum of identities. The work of Broido (2000) and Reason, Roosa Miller, & Scales (2005), who particularly focused on race and ethnicity, have influenced my understanding of how to develop social justice allies on the college campus. One particular avenue for developing social justice advocates is providing opportunities for students to engage with others different from themselves, especially in dialogue. This idea illuminates my work and understanding of the need for a diverse college environment as well as programs that encourage students to converse with people different from their own identities. In doing so students will then be able to further their relationships and understand the “other” a little better. Through understanding then comes advocacy and the building of allies.
The last area (and I believe that there are plenty more out there) that I think prevails throughout higher education is one’s calling. Going to a college or university is a time for students to find out who they are and what they want to do in life. Palmer (2000) has particularly influenced my understanding that a job, vocation, or calling is not something to be sought after, but something to be heard (Let Your Life Speak). Before reading this book the way I worked in advising undeclared students or career counseling was that students needed to seek outwards in order to find what they want. While this technique is beneficial, it was not allowing students to look inward. Palmer has taught me that students need to listen to their lives as far as what they should do, deep down inside, and not just look outward for this information. Students need to reflect more on who they are and what they have done and process these experiences on a deeper level in order to understand where to go in the future. They need to let their lives speak to them and they need to be open to listening and hearing their calling. Parks (2000) has also deepened my understanding of what college students are going through in their development process, particularly with worldviews. Parks taught me that students are trying to figure out who they are, who others are, and who the world is, all very philosophical reflections. As student affairs professionals we must step alongside students in the journey, brave through the storm with them, and provide a supportive community to help them process their thoughts about life and ultimate reality. Much of finding out who you are comes through private and communal reflections.
Over the past two years I have grown personally and professionally in my confidence, self-knowledge, and communication skills. When I first entered the program I lacked general confidence in my abilities to interact with other people on a daily basis. Particularly, I did not think that I could have meaningful and professional interactions with undergraduate students because of my proximity in age. Having entered the CCSD program right out of my undergraduate years, I worried whether I would be respected as a staff member in the higher education community. I gained more confidence as the years progressed and as I met more and more students. My confidence today is neither arrogant nor ignorant, but exudes an air of capability as most students find confidence in my abilities to work with them. Another area I have grown in is my self-knowledge. Before the program one could say that I was still questioning who I was and where I was going. After two years, I can honestly say that my knowledge of who I am has become a little clearer. Though knowing who I am is a lifelong journey, my two years at APU have shed light on my past and my future, giving me a clearer vision of my purpose in this life and confirming my desire to work in higher education. Lastly, my communication skills have been refined. Whether it is on the phone, in person, through e-mail, or in writing, I feel as if my communication skills have become, like my self-knowledge, clearer. The two may be related. My ability to effectively communicate may also be related to my growing confidence. In all, over the past two years I have come to know more of who I am; I have come to feel strongly about who I am, and I am now able to voice who I am in the personal and professional realms.
During the next five years I hope to grow personally and professionally in finding more of my niche in higher education, particularly with location, institution type, and student group. As of now, I have attended or worked at three institutions in the Southern California area. I am open to exploring colleges and universities elsewhere in the United States. I have no idea how different the experience is working in a different geographical location, how different the students, faculty, staff, and administration are and how differently they may operate. Exploring these curiosities will help me learn more of where I want to be, but I would also be just fine staying where I am currently. As for institution type, similar to location, I want to explore the diversity and possibilities out there. Right now, I have worked at two private Christian institutions and one private non-faith based institution. I am particularly interested in working at a public university with a large student population (above 10,000). Like location, I want to experience the students, faculty, staff, and administration to see how and if I fit. I am also open to returning where I started though, to a small private Christian liberal arts college. Lastly, in the next five years I want to find my niche student group that I can focus on. By this I mainly mean a field or specific area. I have explored academic advising, service-learning, and career services, but none has popped out yet as the place for me to settle into. What I do know is that I like the advising or counseling role and I like mentoring students. For the immediate future I may want to explore advising student organizations. Wherever I end up, I want to be invested in the particular community of professionals that serve similar types of students. This would include my involvement in a specific professional organization as well as engagement in NASPA and ACPA at the regional and national levels as related to this area. I particularly want to review and advance the literature and research in a specific student affairs area. To sum up, I want to find something that fits and do it to the best of my abilities.
I also used to think that each specific field in student affairs operated independently, that they did not rely or even interact with another. Residence life sticks to residence life, the career center stays inside their offices, and no one meets with one another or helps each other out with student programming. I soon learned about the need, benefit, and blessing of collaboration amongst student affairs professionals. Learning about this kind of collaboration with professional peers brought me relief as it took the pressure off of me to try to fulfill a desire to serve all students at all times in all areas of their lives. With this concept, I also learned about teaming up with faculty, administration, and families. The idea of involving faculty was a relatively new concept to me. I had seen them at student programs here and there. When the phrase “co-curricular” entered my vocabulary I began to realize that student affairs professionals and faculty could create reciprocal relationships, each supporting the other’s mission and goals in order to facilitate student learning (Kuh, 1996). Also, before this program I had no clue what the administration at a college did. Now I realize how much of an advocate they can be for my office. I also thought that when a student attended college they cut off ties with the outside world. I never thought to consider their family at home. There are various parties involved in higher education, making sure everyone has a chance for input is crucial to the development of the student. On top of all of this I came to realize that colleges and universities are not entities that operate within their own bubble, but they too seek to share knowledge and wisdom with one another. Through conferences, phone calls, visits, e-mails, and web pages, I have realized how vast and supportive the network and community is among those working in higher education. The student affairs community can be seen as selfless, seeking to serve college students through the best means possible.
Another realization I had was my growing concept of studies within the field. I had no idea before the program that there were professional organizations, books, research, theories, articles, and even doctoral programs for student affairs. I was unaware of how established the field was. I was completely ignorant of the fact that I was stepping into a profession that had been there long before I arrived. I had associated my “discovery” of the field with the idea that the entire field was new. When I entered the program I saw my two years at APU as preparing me for a job in a new field that consisted of a fulfilling eight hours and a decent paycheck. My time (and financial investment) has done more than just that; it has prepared me to enter into an established profession and a vocation (Palmer, 2000).
When considering ideas, theories, and perspectives in student affairs, three areas have influenced my view of college student learning and development. They can be summed up as white identity, social justice, and hearing one’s calling. First, while I understand that there exists a wide diversity of college student identities out there, I believe a prevalent one, that I wish to focus some of my work on, is white identity development. Since most college settings are predominantly white, understanding and investing in white students’ ethnic and racial identities can be beneficial to all, especially in addressing privilege, oppression, and racism. The work of McIntosh (1988) influences the way I understand white college students and coming to terms with how much privilege they carry on campus. Secondly the work of Hardiman (2001) influences my understanding of white identity with his model that includes these five stages: no social consciousness of race or naïveté about race, acceptance, resistance, redefinition, and internalization. I now possess information to help me facilitate opportunities and guide white students through these stages. Lastly the work of Ortiz & Rhoads (2000) also influences my understanding of and work with white students through challenging and supporting them to: understand culture, learn about other cultures, recognize and deconstruct white culture, recognize the legitimacy of other cultures, and develop a multicultural outlook. Before reading their work I did not have the words to voice where I wanted to lead white students. Now I do.
Another area that I believe to be salient in student affairs today is social justice. This relates to white identity development in that social justice work involves encouraging the majority to advocate for the minority across a wide spectrum of identities. The work of Broido (2000) and Reason, Roosa Miller, & Scales (2005), who particularly focused on race and ethnicity, have influenced my understanding of how to develop social justice allies on the college campus. One particular avenue for developing social justice advocates is providing opportunities for students to engage with others different from themselves, especially in dialogue. This idea illuminates my work and understanding of the need for a diverse college environment as well as programs that encourage students to converse with people different from their own identities. In doing so students will then be able to further their relationships and understand the “other” a little better. Through understanding then comes advocacy and the building of allies.
The last area (and I believe that there are plenty more out there) that I think prevails throughout higher education is one’s calling. Going to a college or university is a time for students to find out who they are and what they want to do in life. Palmer (2000) has particularly influenced my understanding that a job, vocation, or calling is not something to be sought after, but something to be heard (Let Your Life Speak). Before reading this book the way I worked in advising undeclared students or career counseling was that students needed to seek outwards in order to find what they want. While this technique is beneficial, it was not allowing students to look inward. Palmer has taught me that students need to listen to their lives as far as what they should do, deep down inside, and not just look outward for this information. Students need to reflect more on who they are and what they have done and process these experiences on a deeper level in order to understand where to go in the future. They need to let their lives speak to them and they need to be open to listening and hearing their calling. Parks (2000) has also deepened my understanding of what college students are going through in their development process, particularly with worldviews. Parks taught me that students are trying to figure out who they are, who others are, and who the world is, all very philosophical reflections. As student affairs professionals we must step alongside students in the journey, brave through the storm with them, and provide a supportive community to help them process their thoughts about life and ultimate reality. Much of finding out who you are comes through private and communal reflections.
Over the past two years I have grown personally and professionally in my confidence, self-knowledge, and communication skills. When I first entered the program I lacked general confidence in my abilities to interact with other people on a daily basis. Particularly, I did not think that I could have meaningful and professional interactions with undergraduate students because of my proximity in age. Having entered the CCSD program right out of my undergraduate years, I worried whether I would be respected as a staff member in the higher education community. I gained more confidence as the years progressed and as I met more and more students. My confidence today is neither arrogant nor ignorant, but exudes an air of capability as most students find confidence in my abilities to work with them. Another area I have grown in is my self-knowledge. Before the program one could say that I was still questioning who I was and where I was going. After two years, I can honestly say that my knowledge of who I am has become a little clearer. Though knowing who I am is a lifelong journey, my two years at APU have shed light on my past and my future, giving me a clearer vision of my purpose in this life and confirming my desire to work in higher education. Lastly, my communication skills have been refined. Whether it is on the phone, in person, through e-mail, or in writing, I feel as if my communication skills have become, like my self-knowledge, clearer. The two may be related. My ability to effectively communicate may also be related to my growing confidence. In all, over the past two years I have come to know more of who I am; I have come to feel strongly about who I am, and I am now able to voice who I am in the personal and professional realms.
During the next five years I hope to grow personally and professionally in finding more of my niche in higher education, particularly with location, institution type, and student group. As of now, I have attended or worked at three institutions in the Southern California area. I am open to exploring colleges and universities elsewhere in the United States. I have no idea how different the experience is working in a different geographical location, how different the students, faculty, staff, and administration are and how differently they may operate. Exploring these curiosities will help me learn more of where I want to be, but I would also be just fine staying where I am currently. As for institution type, similar to location, I want to explore the diversity and possibilities out there. Right now, I have worked at two private Christian institutions and one private non-faith based institution. I am particularly interested in working at a public university with a large student population (above 10,000). Like location, I want to experience the students, faculty, staff, and administration to see how and if I fit. I am also open to returning where I started though, to a small private Christian liberal arts college. Lastly, in the next five years I want to find my niche student group that I can focus on. By this I mainly mean a field or specific area. I have explored academic advising, service-learning, and career services, but none has popped out yet as the place for me to settle into. What I do know is that I like the advising or counseling role and I like mentoring students. For the immediate future I may want to explore advising student organizations. Wherever I end up, I want to be invested in the particular community of professionals that serve similar types of students. This would include my involvement in a specific professional organization as well as engagement in NASPA and ACPA at the regional and national levels as related to this area. I particularly want to review and advance the literature and research in a specific student affairs area. To sum up, I want to find something that fits and do it to the best of my abilities.